WiloStar Learning Accomodations

Please read about how WiloStar makes learning accomodations on a case by case basis and how our program may be a good fit for your student.

Immersive Curriculum for Creative Learners

Students create, learn and interact with WiloStar’s immersive learning virtual worlds.

Aspergers Virtual Schooling

Asperger’s syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder, and students with it show significant difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. AS is a syndrome that is neurologically based, and it does not necessarily affect intelligence. Each and every student has their own unique talents and strengths and WiloStar3D believes in getting at the root of how to help bring out the best in each child. Students just need to be provided with the right tools and educational setting! WiloStar3D’s online homeschooling program is a good fit for many students with Asperger’s!

Students with Asperger’s Syndrome also tend to exhibit a lack of effectiveness in social interactions. They tend to have difficulty knowing how to ‘make connections’ socially. Social situations are easily misread by students with Asperger’s Syndrome and as a result, their interactions and responses are often interpreted by others as being odd. This can be a challenge for many AS students in a traditional school setting. The good news is that WiloStar3D has been working with AS students for well over two decades now with great success! WiloStar3D’s pioneering use of avatars within an educational virtual world campus helps AS students overcome many of these barriers.

Additionally, students with Asperger’s Syndrome can have significant difficulty interpreting non-verbal social communication skills used to regulate social interactions (e.g., tone of voice, facial expressions, body postures, gestures, personal space. WiloStar3D works with AS students through the use of avatars to help model appropriate social interactions and practice learned skills in this area.

WiloStar3D AS students thrive in our 3D environment. Many of our AS students have a high attention to detail, and are talented, intelligent thinkers. Additionally, many AS students love the computer and technology and they thrive on finding a creative outlet for these talents. These traits help our AS students develop wonderfully interactive and engaging virtual world projects for their studies and better yet, develop social skills with their peers within the less threatening 3D virtual world setting.

Admissions Requirements for students needing Learning Accommodations

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS NEEDING ACCOMMODATIONS

1- READING LEVEL

Students being admitted to our program who are going to require accommodations must not be more than 1 grade levels below their current grade. We give a reading assessment to screen for reading ability. Due to the high level of reading our program requires we have determined the threshold of 1 grade level below is the best in order to help them succeed.

2- STUDENT AGE

Students can not be more than two years older than the current grade level placed into. Again, this is due to socialization issues. We have live class meetings and many live virtual world projects and interacting with peers close in age is beneficial to the students as a whole. As an example, an incoming freshman who is typically 14, can’t be older than 16.

3- COMPUTER PROFICIENCY

Students must pass a computer proficiency test and be able to demonstrate at least average computer schools on Windows based computers. We require a full PC, not a tablet or ipad. This means students must be familiar with and comfortable with Windows PCs.

4- STUDENT RECORDS

All incoming special needs students must have grades/transcripts and preferably a professional evaluation that is done within the last year in order to be admitted to our school.

Sample ILP Strategies Used
1. Your child will be encouraged to complete every other question on the daily written work. For lessons that are marked with a * on the questions, those are the ones they need to attempt to answer. As the school year progresses and skills improve, we may phase out this strategy over time.
2. For longer written assignments (long answer, essay, and longer projects) the grading will be modified to allow for shorter responses. We will work towards helping your child distill the main concepts and main ideas to demonstrate mastery of the content.
3. The use of Dragonspeak or other audio software to both dictate responses and read pages may also be used to help with longer assignments.
4. Audio books via the WiloStar3D Academy Learning Ally site may also be used alongside the print edition of novels to help reading comprehension and reading fluency.
5. Readspeak TextAid is also highly recommended as students can install the plug in for Google Chrome and have relevant Web pages read aloud in a natural sounding voice. It’s further recommended that parents obtain a subscription to audible.com so their student has access to the audio version of novels used for Integrated Studies.

Learning Stations

Students enrolled in the WiloStar3D Academy learn how to build, design, and code their virtual levels and regions. One strategy WiloStar uses to help students engage in learning is our Learning Pathways. Learning Pathway builds are embedded in all WiloStar courses and modules.

Learning Progression

Learning Pathway builds are Embedded in all WiloStar courses and modules. Each student Learning Pathway region has 12 building stations. Teachers assign building projects for each station along the pathway. Students share, present and do peer evaluations for visitors to their stations.